Sheep Distribution Scheme, Phase 2
A 20-ewe-and-one-ram unit handed to shepherd-community families at 75% government subsidy, so a household's traditional livelihood restarts with a working flock instead of a loan for one.
Run by: Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development & Fisheries Department, Government of Telangana (implemented through the Telangana State Sheep and Goat Development Cooperative Federation)
- Unit
- 20 ewes + 1 ram
- Government subsidy
- 75% of unit cost
- Phase 2 families targeted
- About 3.5 lakh
- Minimum age
- 18 years
Overview
Telangana's Sheep Distribution Scheme began in June 2017 as a direct response to a shrinking sheep population and falling income among the state's Golla, Kuruma and Yadava shepherd families — communities whose traditional occupation is raising sheep but who increasingly could not afford to restock a flock lost to disease, drought or distress sale. Phase 1 covered roughly 3.93 lakh sheep units across the state by early 2018, run through village-level sheep breeders' cooperative societies under the Telangana State Sheep and Goat Development Cooperative Federation (TSSGDCF).
Phase 2 was launched from Nalgonda district as part of the state's Formation Day celebrations, with ministers, MPs, MLAs and MLCs distributing units across their own districts and constituencies on the same day. It targeted about 3.5 lakh additional shepherd families with a fresh round of ₹6,000 crore in outlay, using the same unit structure as Phase 1: 20 ewes and one ram per beneficiary, at a 75% government subsidy with the beneficiary contributing the rest, usually arranged through a bank loan.
District government portals continue to list the scheme as an ongoing, active programme, with fresh rounds of distribution still being processed each financial year — so Phase 2 is not a closed one-time event but part of a continuing effort to rebuild the state's sheep economy, with breed selection (Nellore Brown, Nellore Jodipi, Deccani, Madras Red) matched to local conditions and a cooperative structure meant to outlast the initial handover.
It is worth knowing the scheme's troubled record. The Comptroller and Auditor General, in a report placed in February 2024, flagged large-scale "recycling" of the earlier phase — the same flocks recorded as distributed again and again, units booked against fake or deceased beneficiaries, duplicate ear tags, and physically impossible transport bills (in one case 126 sheep shown carried on a two-wheeler) — sizing the loss at ₹253 crore across seven districts, with the state Anti-Corruption Bureau later suspecting more than ₹700 crore; Enforcement Directorate raids followed in 2025. For a Phase 2 applicant this means tighter checks now — ear-tagging of every animal, photo and geo-tagged handover, and beneficiary verification against records — and, in some districts, a slower rollout while the earlier accounts are audited.
What you get
The benefit as the state notifies it — nothing here is an estimate.
- A ready flock — 20 ewes and one ram — handed over as one unit, not cash, so the household starts with working livestock, not a lump sum to spend elsewhere.
- 75% of the unit cost paid by the government; the beneficiary's 25% share is typically arranged through a bank loan rather than paid upfront in full.
- Death insurance cover built in — around ₹5,000 per ewe and ₹7,000 for the ram if an animal dies, so one loss does not wipe out the whole unit's value.
- 75% subsidy on grass seed for fodder, addressing the feed-shortage problem that causes many small flocks to fail in the first place.
- Beneficiaries are organised into village-level sheep breeders' cooperative societies under TSSGDCF, giving ongoing access to veterinary support and breeding advice, not just a one-time handout.
Who is eligible
State schemes usually state their criteria as prose rather than a checklist. This is that prose, unpacked — the department’s verification is what decides.
You qualify if
- Age 18 years or above at the time of application
- Member of the Golla, Kuruma or Yadava shepherd community, permanently resident in Telangana
- Traditional occupation of sheep rearing, or genuine intent to take it up as the household's livelihood
- One eligible beneficiary considered per household, selected through the local identification process
Not covered
- Applicants outside the notified shepherd communities
- More than one unit per eligible household in a single distribution round
- Beneficiaries who cannot arrange their 25% cost share, since the unit is not handed over free of any contribution
Documents you need
Have these ready before you start — most rejections are a missing paper, not a missing right.
- Aadhaar card
- Caste certificate confirming Golla/Kuruma/Yadava community
- Residence proof for Telangana
- Bank account details, especially if availing the loan component for the beneficiary share
How to apply
Fewer steps than a central scheme, and usually one office rather than a portal.
- 1
Beneficiary identification at the village level
A three-member committee — the Mandal Revenue Officer, Mandal Development Officer and a veterinary doctor — identifies and shortlists eligible shepherd-community members, often through gram sabhas held by the local sheep breeders' cooperative society.
- 2
Apply and verify online
Eligible applicants apply or get their details verified through the Animal Husbandry Department's e-services portal at elaabh.telangana.gov.in, alongside the offline village-level process.
- 3
Bank loan tie-up and unit handover
Once selected, the beneficiary's 25% share is arranged (typically as a bank loan), and the ear-tagged 20-ewe-and-ram unit is handed over at a public distribution event through the cooperative society, with photo and geo-tagged records.
If something goes wrong
Missing from the list, or payment stuck — here is the channel the department itself publishes for it.
- For a selection dispute, a unit not handed over after loan tie-up, an insurance claim on a dead animal not settled, or fodder-seed subsidy not received, take it up with the Assistant Director of Animal Husbandry and the District Animal Husbandry Officer, then the Director of Animal Husbandry — the department helpline is 1962. Keep your application ID, the ear-tag numbers and the handover record.
- For a corruption or recycling complaint, the Telangana Anti-Corruption Bureau is the right channel. For everything else, lodge it on Telangana's Prajavani portal at prajavani.cgg.gov.in, or in person at Mahatma Jyothiba Phule Praja Bhavan on a Tuesday or Friday.
Frequently asked questions
Is the flock given completely free of cost?
No. The government pays 75% of the unit cost; the beneficiary's 25% share is usually arranged through a bank loan rather than paid in cash upfront.
What happens if one of the sheep dies soon after I receive the unit?
The unit carries death insurance cover — broadly around ₹5,000 per ewe and ₹7,000 for the ram — so a single loss is compensated rather than reducing your flock's value permanently.
I am not from the Golla, Kuruma or Yadava community but I do rear sheep. Can I apply?
No — the scheme is targeted specifically at shepherd-community families from these groups; it is not open to sheep rearers outside these communities.
I heard there was a scam in this scheme. Is it still running?
Yes, it is still an active programme. The CAG did flag large-scale "recycling" and fake beneficiaries in the earlier phase (loss put at ₹253 crore, ACB suspecting more), and investigations are ongoing. The practical effect for a new applicant is stricter verification, not that the scheme has stopped.
What stops the same sheep being counted twice now?
Each animal in the unit is ear-tagged, the handover is photo and geo-tagged, and the beneficiary is verified against records before the unit is released.
How long does it take from selection to getting the flock?
It varies by district and by how quickly the bank loan for your 25% share is tied up. Some districts are slower while the earlier phase's accounts are being audited.
Facts checked against ahddf.telangana.gov.in on 8 September 2026. editorial policy.